Exercise equipment may provide resistance against muscle movement by a user through various means. The force of gravity provides resistance to users of free weights such as ankle weights, wrist weights, weight vests, dumbbells, and barbells. Free weights may be created by incorporating various forms of metal, water or sand. Some types of exercise equipment also utilize the force of gravity to provide resistance through the transfer of force through cables to weights positioned with the apparatus. Other types of resistance may be created through the use of hydraulic cylinders, springs, and flexible rods. Resistance may also be created with the use of a pressure screw in conjunction with a friction brake. A user's own body weight may provide the necessary resistance to conduct exercise.
Equipment may also utilize elastic resistance cords or flat bands, which stretch and elongate under pressure, to provide the necessary resistance to a user when conducting exercises. Elastic resistance cords or flat bands may be hand held or incorporated into a machine and may be closed loop or open elastic resistance cords or flat bands. Elastic resistance cords and flat bands provide an advantage through ease of use in that they are lightweight, compact, and inexpensive. Additionally, elastic resistance cords and flat bands provide increasing resistance as they stretch through a range of motion.
Another popular and common type of resistance exercise utilizes hand weights, such as dumbbells, barbells, weighted bars, and kettle bells. Another popular type utilizes tubular elastic resistance cords or flat bands. Each type of resistance (weights or elastic resistance cords or flat bands) provides a distinct and beneficial form of resistance exercise. However, each form has limitations. Free weights are generally more expensive, heavy, bulky, and non compact. Due to their heavy and bulky nature, weights alone are not very portable or easy to store. Further, adjusting the level of resistance by adding weights or changing to different weights is often time consuming and difficult. Additionally, adjusting a user's range of motion when utilizing weights is often difficult.
Elastic resistance cords or flat bands also have limitations. The predominant form of elastic resistance in the prior art is an elastic cord of a fixed length with handles attached at each end. Elastic resistance cords and flat bands are limited because they are generally of a uniform length and strength. Elastic resistance cords and flat bands of different strengths are generally manufactured to be distinguished by different colors or numbers. In order to change the resistance obtained while performing exercises, a user has traditionally been required to purchase an elastic resistance cord or flat band of a different strength or add more than one cord or flat band to a handle. This process is time consuming and expensive. Also, elastic resistance cords or flat bands usually come in a fixed length. Thus, elastic resistance cords or flat bands are limited, in that a user cannot easily adjust the strength of resistance or the range of motion.
The limitations in the current state of the art utilizing resistance bands are easily seen in products currently in the marketplace. A product currently being sold under the trademark Reebok™ utilizes a resistance cord, secured by handles at each end, to provide resistance. The resistance cord is attached to the handle by wrapping the resistance cord around posts on the handle. A user may then attempt exercise by pulling on the handle against the resistance of the resistance cord. However, the means of attaching the resistance cords to the handle and adjusting the resistance cords (a post) has clear limitations in that the resistance cords are not firmly secured to the handle, and the resistance cords easily become dislodged from the handle post. The inability to adequately secure the resistance cord to the handle not only reduces the effectiveness of the workout, but also creates a potential safety hazard if the cord should inadvertently dislodge from the handle in a workout.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,894,631 describes a handle capable of engaging a resistance member, such as an elastic cord, by passing the resilient member through a tapered passage in the handle and securing the resilient member by engaging it with a spherical member also positioned within the tapered passage. However, the spherical member is loosely situated within the tapered passage and capable of complete removal from the tapered passage. Further, the tapered passage is conically shaped which permits the spherical member to easily dislodge from the tapered passage. Even with the spherical member in place in the tapered passage, the spherical member is easily dislodged thereby reducing its effectiveness in securing the resilient member. Additionally, resistance is derived only by pulling two handles in opposite directions, and does not contain a means to attach the resistance bands to another structure thus limiting the number and types of exercises that may be performed.
Further, an exercise system by Thera-Band® consists of a fitness ball platform to which resistance cords may be attached. However, the platform is large and bulky preventing a user from easily transporting the exercise system. Further, the platform contains a depressed surface to accommodate an exercise ball which requires the addition of additional elements to make a flat useable surface. The depressed surface does not create an evenly flat surface thus increasing the risk that the user will sustain an ankle injury when stepping onto the surface of the platform.
The present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art by providing for a combination of various types of exercise resistance including but not limited to a combination of weights, gyroscopes, magnetic resistance, ropes, cables, wires, pneumatic resistance, hydraulic resistance, friction brake resistance, or the weight of a user's own body with elastic resistance cords or flat bands, springs, coils, or flex rods. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides for one or more adjustable elastic resistance cords or flat bands that allow the user to conduct exercise utilizing multiple types of resistance (weights and elastic resistance cords or flat bands) in one system. For instance, a user may conduct hand or leg resistance exercises utilizing elastic resistance cords or flat bands in combination with or separate from weights. The strength of the elastic resistance cord or flat band and the range of motion may be varied without the need to substitute or add another elastic resistance cord or flat band. The present invention permits a user to adjust the level of resistance quickly and easily over a greater range and allows for greater ease and speed of adjustment of resistance when conducting exercises. Further, the invention provides a means of securely attaching an elastic resistance cord or flat band for use in exercise thus increasing the number of types of exercise that a user may perform. Further, the invention provides for a flat, compact, and portable exercise surface on which the user may safely conduct many exercises.
As fewer resistance cords or flat bands or other items of equipment, are necessary to change resistance, the invention further provides a cost advantage over the prior art. The invention further provides a system that is easily portable, compact, and easy to store. The invention permits different types of exercises to be performed, e.g. aerobic exercises, strengthening exercises, and stretching exercises. Further, different kinds of accessories may be used with the invention. Exercises with the invention may be performed from different positions, e.g. standing, squatting, sitting, kneeling, and lying. The invention may be used to exercise the whole body, e.g. upper, mid, and lower body parts including the arms, back, abdominals, and legs, to provide a total body workout. The present invention is simple to use and is universally capable of use by anyone. Accordingly, the invention has overcome the limitations of the prior art by providing an easily adjustable resistance system which permits a rapid adjustment of length and strength without the need to change the components of the system. At the same time, it also creates a revolutionary new hybrid type of resistance exercise consisting of two or more types of resistance, preferably weight and elastic resistance, and achieves all of the above advantages in one simple, useful, affordable device for the public.